USamyela Wokuthoma 11:1-15
11 UNarhatjhi umAmoni+ wakhuphuka wayokuhloma ikampa bona ayokulwa neJabetjhi+ eGiliyadi. Boke abantu beJabetjhi bathi kuNarhatjhi: “Yenza isivumelwano nathi, sizokuba ziinsebenzi zakho.”
2 UNarhatjhi umAmoni wathi kibo: “Ngizosenza nani ngaphasi kombandela nakhu: woke amehlwenu wangesidleni kufuze agobhodlhwe. Ngizokwenza lokhu bona ngihlazise u-Israyeli woke.”
3 Abadala beJabetjhi bamphendula bathi: “Sinikela amalanga alikhomba bona sithumele iinthunywa kiso soke isifunda sakwa-Israyeli. Nangabe akekho ozosisindisa, sizozinikela kuwe.”
4 Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi iinthunywa zafika eGibeya+ kaSawula zakhuluma amezwi la ebantwini, boke abantu barhahlawula isililo.
5 Kodwana uSawula bekavela esimini araga umhlambi, yeke uSawula wabuza wathi: “Kwenzekeni ebantwini? Balilelani?” Bambikela amezwi akhulunywe babantu beJabetjhi.
6 USawula nakezwa amezwi la, ummoya kaZimu wamupha amandla,+ wasilingeka khulu.
7 Wathatha iinkunzi ezimbili wazihlahlela zaba ziintokana, wazithumela kiso soke isifunda sakwa-Israyeli ngesandla seenthunywa, ebezithi: “Nanyana ngubani ongalandeli uSawula noSamyela kufuze alindele bona kuzokwenziwa lokhu eenkomeni zakhe!” Ukwesaba okuvela kuJehova kwehlela ebantwini, yeke baphuma baya epini bayinyanda yinye.*
8 Wababala eBhezeki, bekuma-Israyeli azii-300 000 nabantu bakwaJuda abazii-30 000.
9 Yeke bathi eenthunyweni: “Ngilokhu ekufuze nikutjho ebantwini beJabetjhi eGiliyadi, ‘Kusasa ilanga nalitjhisako nizokusindiswa.’” Iinthunywa zakhamba zayokubikela abantu beJabetjhi begodu bathaba khulu.
10 Nje-ke abantu beJabetjhi bathi kuNarhatjhi: “Kusasa sizozinikela kini, ningazenzela umathanda kithi.”+
11 Ngelanga elilandelako, uSawula wahlukanisa ibutho lakhe laba ziinqhema ezintathu, latjhinga phakathi kwekampa ngomlindo wekuseni,* larhayila ama-Amoni+ bekwatjhisa ilanga. Labo abasindako baphadlhalajwa, kangangokuthi abekho ababili abasala ndawonye.
12 Yeke abantu bathi kuSamyela: “Bobani ebebathi, ‘Asifuni ukubuswa nguSawula!’+ Baletheni la, sibabulale.”
13 Nokho uSawula wathi: “Akunamuntu ekufuze abulawe namhlanjesi,+ ngombana uJehova usindise u-Israyeli namhlanjesi.”
14 Kamuva uSamyela wathi ebantwini: “Asiyeni eGiligali+ siyokuqinisekisa ubukhosi.”+
15 Boke abantu baya eGiligali, nabafika khona babeka uSawula bona abe yikosi phambi kwakaJehova. Ngemva kwalokho, banikela imihlatjelo yetjhebiswano phambi kwakaJehova,+ begodu uSawula nabantu boke bakwa-Israyeli bagidinga ngethabo elikhulu.+
Imitlolo Ephasi
^ NgesiHebheru, “njengokungathi mumuntu munye.”
^ Kutjho pheze ngesimbi yesi-2 ekuseni bekube ngesimbi yesi-6 ekuseni.
